Half Empty, Half Full
by WP
Summary: Dinah has to tell her story but ends up helping Helena


A/N: Hey! Back again, just a short one parter. I just had to get across my point of many life's in one person but I hope youll see that. let me know what you think.  
  
Half Empty, Half Full  
  
Dinah Lance found herself completely stunned. Barbara had just struck out with a question that haunted her day after day.   
  
"Dinah?" Barbara asked, worried by the blonde's 'deer in headlights' expression.   
  
"Why?" She said gruffly then cleared her throat, "Why do you need to know?"  
  
Barbara began to feel unnerved by Dinah's reaction, could it really be that bad? "My lawyers are trying to gain my custody of you and they need a reason as to why you left. I wondered if there was any other reason than finding us."   
  
Dinah had never spoke much about the Redmond's and from what Barbara had gathered, Dinah left because she didn't feel she belonged because of her Meta abilities. Now she was starting to think it was worse.  
  
"There were a lot of reasons. Finding you and Helena, finding the people who had been with me since I was 9 was only one reason." She answered truthfully.  
  
Barbara felt the need to push further but part of her wanted to leave it, go back to living in ignorance. "What were the others?"   
  
Dinah's instincts told her to leave, that telling everything would just ruin the life she had for herself in New Gotham, with Barbara and Helena. But Barbara wasn't like the other people who had been in her life. Maybe this time, it was ok to talk and explain.  
  
"I didn't fit in. Not in the awkward teenager way but I really didn't. They all had their perfect little world and they all knew each other inside out. They all knew I was different, I was adopted and I had visions. The Redmond's made sure they knew, they were forced to pray for me, the devil child. I was like a side project the town had. They were all very puritanical and he was Reverend. They'd all pray for the demon to be released from me and then I'd have a vision and they'd know. The kids were either scared of me or never spoke to me or came anywhere near me. The Adults treated me like I was evil or a threat or they… they thought that violence and threatening was a way to cast the devil out."  
  
"Dinah, did they ever hurt physically you?" Barbara asked as gently as possible. She was having trouble grasping what Dinah was telling her.   
  
Dinah had been avoiding eye contact, she felt so horrible, like a disease, again. "Yes." She answered quietly.  
  
It was worse than Barbara could have expected, they had actually hurt the poor girl for having nightmares and the whole red neck town had been in on it. She saw that Dinah was becoming slightly distressed and put her own anger aside. She reached out and stroked the young girls hair, at first she flinched but she knew her mentors intentions were good.  
  
"Dinah, can you tell me what they did to you?" Barbara couldn't help but feel insensitive but she had to know.   
  
Dinah was silent for a few moments, her head still bowed until her small voice broke the silence. "He… he would beat me. Lock me in the cupboard until I'd stop talking about visions. His friends, people from the town, they'd join him sometimes if the visions got bad or regular. They'd all try and cast the devil out and they'd hit me, shout at me…" Dinah broke off as her tears over took her.  
  
Barbara found herself choked up as she pulled Dinah into her arms and rocked her through her tears.   
  
How could she never have known before? Why did it never strike her to ask why a 16-year-old girl felt the need to leave her home with no money or friends?  
  
One thing was for damn sure; she would get custody of Dinah and make sure she was safe and cared for.  
  
Huntress paced the clock tower. She was so angry that she found herself close to tears. How could someone do that to a young girl? How could a whole town do that to a defenceless young girl?! She wanted to go to that bible-bashing town and show them what it's like to be abused.  
  
Barbara watched huntress pace back and forth in rage. Her eyes were fixed in their feral state, showing her deep anger. She could hear the low growl emanating from the brunette. "Huntress, you have to calm down. I know how infuriating this is but being angry will not help Dinah."  
  
"What exactly will help!?" Huntress barked at her.   
  
Barbara decided to take the gentle approach. She knew Helena couldn't argue with her if she stayed calm. "Being supportive. You have to let her talk, let her know it's ok and she's safe now. Being angry won't help, it will just add to her stress."   
  
Helena stood silent for a few moments until eventually her eyes turned back to their normal blue. Barbara saw Helena, the young women, return and spotted her falter, just for a second. She wheeled towards Helena but the brunette backed off and pulled herself together.  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"She's in her room. She cried herself out." Barbara answered.  
  
Helena just nodded before making her way to Dinah's room.   
  
Barbara sighed as she watched Helena walk off. She wished Helena would let go sometimes. It was hard to get her to open up or to just fall apart when she needed to. But with Dinah, she was Helena Kyle. She was just a human trying to care for family.  
  
Dinah lay on her bed, curled up in the foetal position. She'd been woken up by the heated voices of her mentors. She really didn't want to drag herself out of bed, that'd lead to more questions and more talking she didn't want to do.   
  
When her bedroom door quietly drifted open and someone entered the room she lay still, eyes closed. She did it out of habit more than anything.   
  
When she heard the door click shut it was obvious it was Helena in her room. Barbara's wheelchair made noise. Helena didn't.   
  
Dinah was curious of Helena's actions, she'd have thought Helena would be indifferent or just a little pissed about what had happened to her in the past, she certainly didn't expect her to creep in the room and just watch her.  
  
" Hi." Helena's voice quietly broke the hush.  
  
Dinah let her eyes open and saw Helena in the corner of the dim room. "Hey."  
  
"You were breathing to quietly." She informed as if reading Dinah's mind.   
  
Dinah could have laughed, only Helena could notice something like not enough noise. It made her wonder if she made a habit of watching over her.   
  
She decided to try and be light hearted. "I hope your not suggesting I snore."   
  
"Of course not." Helena replied sarcastically.   
  
Dinah sat up, crossed legged and watched the sombre brunette. "I could do this all night or you could just say whatever it is you need to say." As harsh as it could sound, Dinah managed to add her sweetness to it.  
  
Helena was silent for a few minutes. "What do I need to say? What can I say?"   
  
Dinah shrugged, "I don't see why you have to say anything either."   
  
Helena began a mini-pace again. "I can't just ignore what Barbara told me. What happened to you."  
  
"Helena, sit down." Dinah ordered sternly.   
  
She done as requested and sat next to Dinah.   
  
"What happened, the Redmond's, that town, they're all in the past. Best way to explain is it was a different life."  
  
Helena looked over at her. "How can it just be gone? Dinah, what they done, it wasn't right. It was so horrible and unjust."  
  
"I no it was, Helena. I live with it everyday, it's not like I never remember or think about. Everyday those memories are in my head but I'm not the same person anymore. I'm Dinah Lance, a superhero, a teenager. I'm not a Redmond anymore, or abused."  
  
Helena was shocked, she always knew Dinah was special, was a great person but she never realised just how strong an individual she was.   
  
The blonde sensed just how cut up Helena was. As she sat there silently Dinah softly took Helena's hand. "You ok?"  
  
Helena was pulled out of her thoughts, "shouldn't I be asking you that?"  
  
"It's only two words, I'm sure you'll squeeze them in sometimes in the near future." Dinah joked lamely.  
  
"How do you do this?" Helena said, jumping right in before she lost her will to talk.  
  
Dinah frowned, "Do what?"   
  
"Joke, smile, not be bitter?"   
  
Dinah was now fully turned to face Helena who still wouldn't make much eye contact. "Being bitter wouldn't make things better."   
  
Dinah paused, what Helena was saying was beginning to sink in. She began to think about it and found a surprising answer. "Those people, they were nothing but scarred. They were so scarred of life and change and these incredible things they didn't understand they took it out on a little girl. It still hurts. It still gives me nightmares but I'm not angry, I'm not going to let them, the past, ruin the great life I have now." She squeezed Helena's hand a little tighter, "And your not the lost 16 year old anymore." She added in gently.   
  
The brunette let her head fall as she starred at the pale hand holding her own. Dinah's words were making so much sense she didn't want to admit.   
  
"You do so much good. You save people and help them in everyway you can. Maybe it's about time you save yourself."  
  
Huge tears dripped from Helena's eyes onto their griped hands. She let herself sink forward until her head rested on Dinah's lap. What came next shocked them both even more. Helena began to sob. Harder and harder until she thought the pressure in her head would force her brain from her ears.   
  
Dinah had never been so relieved yet so sad. She stroked Helena's hair, trying her best to silently comfort her friend and new found confident.   
  
Barbara had been parked outside Dinah's room for a few minutes now.   
  
The sound of Helena sobbing broke her heart. In all the years she'd been in Helena's life, she'd seen her cry only a couple of times. Maybe this time she'd gain clarity. Barbara had done her job, she'd kept Helena going, given her hope and training. Dinah may have just given her, her heart back. 


End file.
